i think america needs to get tougher, all of us. we need to understand that it's time to step up and pay for what we want. and you know, we haven't been doing that for a long time, and both parties have been guilty of it. >> tell me about your upbringing here. new jersey man, born and bred. tell me about the early days. >> well, my parents moved here to this town from newark. when i was 5 years old so i could go to this school system because it's one of the best school systems in the state. and they borrowed money. $1,000 from each one of my grandmothers. to put a $2,000 down payment on a $22,000 house that my father was able to get with his va mortgage from having served in the army. they wanted to come here for their kids. >> your mother died very suddenly five, six years ago. and it was an awful end to her life. you had this poignant time with her before she died. two things struck me. you can go back to work, because there's nothing left unsaid between us. which i found very moving when i read that. also, she said to you, going-